Fighting for farm workers

Bay News Nine, Tampa Bay

Fighting for farm workers
Wednesday, January 25, 2006

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Jay Taylor hopes McDonald's involvement in farm worker rights will help the movement spread.
Farm work is vital to the Florida economy, but some believe that farm workers are sometimes mistreated.

A nationwide effort, including work by the world's largest fast food chain, is underway to better protect workers.

McDonald's Corporation is working with a Florida grass-roots group to set standards for growers to follow. The group is called "Socially Accountable Farm Employees," or SAFE.

The fast food giant recently announced it would no longer buy produce from suppliers who did not meet certain criteria.

"It calls for affordable safe housing, transportation and access to healthcare," said J.C. Gonzalez-Mendez of McDonald's Corporation. "It sets standards for work and protection and lawful wages. It also establishes an ombudsman."

Jay Taylor of Taylor and Fulton Growers has been a long-time advocate of farm worker rights. He says he's glad to hear of McDonald's involvement in the same cause.

"If we can take the power away from some of these less-than-scrupulous crew leaders, then we've done a lot to help the situation for migrant farm workers," Taylor said.

Although the move by McDonald's is a big step for farm worker rights, Taylor says he hopes it's merely the beginning.

"I sincerely hope, and I truly believe, that this is going to spread beyond tomatoes in Florida," Taylor said.